Stockton Library Fright Night and Bryony Pearce

For the second year in a row, I went to the Fright Night at Stockton Library. This year we were lucky again! We visit to celebrate everything spooky and we were visited by fantastic young adult author Bryony Pearce. Bryony had visited the school I work at earlier that day and I had the pleasure of meeting her. For a horror writer, she is a lovely lady! By her own admission, "After meeting me people are often surprised about how dark my work is, I am deceptively happy." The kids loved her! Her outfit, her boots, her amazing outlook on life. There was definitely a buzz around the school coming from the Year 7s and 8s after they had met her. I was then invited to the Fright Night at Stockton Library and was able to meet Bryony again and buy her books for myself.

The Dragon of the Month Club...What next?

Title: The Dragon of the Month Club
Author: Iain Reading
ISBN: 9781505633665
Rating: 7/10
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Teen

"The sudden transition into the brilliant light was painful, and it took a lot of squinting and gradual eye opening before they were able to get a proper look at the world around them.
They were on a long sandy beach at the barrier between the trees and the water that stretched off into infinity in both directions from where they were standing. Something about it reminded Ayana of the beaches her father used to take them to on Vancouver Island during summer vacation. The scene was a neverending wall of green trees, golden sand and blue ocean beyond.

Dead Man's Cove...You must stay away from Dead Man's Cove

Title: Dead Man's Cove
Author: Lauren St John
ISBN: 978-1-4440-0148-8
Rating: 8/10
Genre: Fiction, Children, Thriller, Teen


"If she had any sense, she'd toss the bottle into the nearest litter bin, hurry along to school and forget she ever saw it. But what if? That's what the voice in her head was saying. What if the writer was someone in real danger? Someone who needed her help? What if she was their only lifeline and she ignored them and walked away?
Laura opened her school bag and took out a pen. Beneath the questions, 'CAN I TRUST YOU?', she wrote in bright red capitals:
YES."

Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold...the beginning

Title: Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold
Author: Iain Reading
ISBN: 978-1502300874
Rating: 6/10
Genre: Young adult, action, adventure, mystery

"Stopping for what felt like the hundredth time, I leaned over, face down on all fours, to inhale and exhale raggedly. Stretching my neck forward, I looked up toward the summit. The line of orange poles seemed to stretch on forever, winding back and forth across the waterfall of rocks and stones and boulders that cascaded down between the two small peaks up above me.
That is exactly what it looked like - a waterfall of rock. There could not possibly be better words to describe it than that. It was as though some immense pair of hands had poured a giant bucket or rocks and boulders down the slope towards where I was catching my breathe."

Kitty Hawk and the Mystery of the Masterpieces...What comes next?

Title: Kitty Hawk and the Mystery of the Masterpieces
Author: Iain Reading
ISBN: 978-1508488866
Rating: 8/10
Genre: Young adult, action, adventure, mystery

"'True,' Marieke said, nodding absently. 'But to be honest, I'm far more curious to find out how these other two paintings ended up here.'
Marieke reached out and pointed toward a pair of paintings that were hanging off in the corner on the opposite of the fireplace.
'What do you mean?' Vega asked, turning her head to look at what she was gesturing to.
'Well, in light of the fact that this Van Gogh over here is almost surely authentic,' Marieke replied, 'then I can only assume that the Monet and Pissaro hanging right over there are authentic as well.'"